You Want Me to Be What?
by Makoto Sagara
Summary: Ch 6! Tsukushi's four years without Domyoji are up. After all of the good things that happened to her since her senior year at Eitoku, will his reappearance change things? And why is his whole family in tow? What does his mother have in plan for her?
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** You Want Me to Be What? (1?)

**Author:** Makoto Sagara

**Series:** Hana Yori Dango (Boys over Flowers)

**Archive:** afallenangel-dot-net-slash-makotosagara, fanfiction-dot-net, Foreverfandom-dot-net; anywhere else, please ask first.

**Pairings:** Tsukasa/Tsukushi, Rui +Tsukushi, Akira + Shigeru, Kazuya/Sakurako, others will pop up

**Warnings:** Heterosexual pairings, language, violence, angst, sap, based off the manga

**Rating:** 15 and up (T+)

**Disclaimers:** Hana Yori Dango is the property of Yoko Kamio, the publishing company of the manga, and all the television companies that produced the anime. I make no money from this. In fact, I have no money. I just can't get my stupid muses to leave me alone after a month and I'm caving into their insanity…

**Summary:** Tsukushi's four years without Domyoji are up. After all of the good things that happened to her since her senior year at Eitoku Gakuen, will his reappearance change things? And why is his whole family in tow? What does his mother have in plan for Tsukushi that could change her life for good? (This is based off the manga ending, not the anime ending.)

Who in their right mind would imagine that a poor girl like me, Makino Tsukushi, would graduate from a prestigious school like Eitoku Gakuen? It certainly wasn't me. After all of the things that happened my junior year, making it to my senior year and still being able to attend was a miracle. However, I knew that things were going to be very quiet the first day of the April commencement ceremony, at least at school. The F4 had all graduated to the college section of our school, and Kazuya, Sakurako, Junpei, and I were all still in the high school section.

A few amazing things happened that beautiful April morning, even before school, that I will never forget. An hour before I was going to wake up to go to school, my cell phone rang. Groggily, I got up, looked at the display to see Nishikado Soujirou's number, and answered with a gruff, "You do know that it's 6am, Nishikado-san, don't you?"

"Makino, I have good news for you," he said, and he did sound very excited, but there was more noise behind him, and I knew that he was with Hanazawa Rui and Mimasaka Akira-san, the other members of the F3, as they are called now.

"Hurry up, Soujirou! Tell her!" I could tell that this wasn't ordinary news because Mimasaka-san sounded as if I'd won the lottery.

"What would you say if I told you that we managed to get your father a job in Akira's father's company?"

"I'd say you're insane, and that calling at 6am on a school day is really inappropriate and I'm going to kick your ass when I reach Eitoku's grounds," I snarled, sitting up and leaving the small room that my family slept in, so as not to wake them.

"You're so violent, Makino," he snorted into the phone, "but it's true. He should get a call in a few hours asking him to accept the position. It comes with company housing and a large salary."

"Let me speak to Hanazawa Rui."

"Hm?" He sounded like they'd just woken him up too, which they probably had knowing him.

"You're up early."

"Not by choice. Makino, I didn't have anything to do with this."

"I know. Tell them thank you. I'll see you later, R-rui." Strange how I still had problems saying his first name considering all that we'd been through the year before and how close we were. "Oh, but I might have to hurt Nishikado for waking me up this early. Bye."

"Bye," he said, and I hung up my phone. Looking at the time, I realized that there wasn't really a reason for me to go back to sleep. I would just have to get up in 30 minutes to make breakfast for everyone and then get ready for my last year at Eitoku. Of course, I wasn't really surprised when my phone rang again, but the name and number did surprise me. "Do… myoji?" I asked, my voice shaking a bit with anticipation to hear him again.

"Makino, you're awake?" No hello or how are you or I love you. But, then again, did I really expect that from him? Not really.

"Yes, and Nishikado isn't going to live through this day." That earned me a laugh, one of his wonderful laughs that I can't help but smile as I heard it. "How's New York?"

"A headache. I have a special tutor to help me learn English, and they found a translator for me as well."

"Hm…"

"Makino… They told me what they did. Are you okay with that?" He actually sounded worried that I would be upset. I smiled again.

"I'm not sure, but this certainly will help me concentrate on school more. I'll only have to have one job now."

He laughed yet again, but it was shortly followed by a yawn. "Ah, it's 4pm here. I still have three more meetings to attend today, but I wanted to call you."

"Did you call me just because you were worried? Or is there another reason?" I stifled a yawn as well, pawing through the contents of the refrigerator to get breakfast made.

"No particular reason. I just wanted to hear your voice."

"You'd better watch yourself, Domyoji Tsukasa. You're starting to sound soft," I teased.

"Whatever. I'll call you again later. I need to go." He sounded cross, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice too.

"Domyoji…"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I-I love you too, Makino."

"Talk to you later. Bye bye."

"Nnn."

The excitement of the morning seemed to calm down a bit as my family woke up to start its day. It was Sumusu's first day of high school and he was attending the same one that Yuuki went to. He was really excited about starting his high school career, and Mama was busy packing our bento and lecturing Papa on getting ready for his day at work. When there was a knock on the door, I answered it, only to find Oribe Junpei standing at my door.

"Junpei-kun…"

"Makino-san," he said hesitantly, one hand raking through his messy brown hair. "I was wondering if I could perhaps bother you on the way to school this morning."

"Tsukushi, who is it?" Mama called, leaning over to look at our guest. "Aren't you that boy, the model?"

"Yes, Makino-san." Junpei's handsome face lit up into a smile, and the hard look that my mother was going to give him seemed to melt away in a heartbeat.

"Well, Tsukushi, Sumusu, you're going to be late if you don't hurry up and leave now. You can't be late on your first day. It looks bad." I had my school bag and bento shoved in my face before I was shoved out of the door, much to Junpei-kun's amusement.

"Don't laugh," I snapped at him, as he stood next to my door.

"But it -is- funny, Makino-san."

"Why are you here, Junpei?"

"I came to make peace with you for what happened last year. I know that I can't make amends enough for you to forget about it, but I was hoping that you would forgive me for using you the way I did. It was fun having you as a friend, even if it was for a little while." My response was cut off by the sudden appearance of Sakurako and Kazuya.

"TSUKUSHI-CHAN!" "MAKINO-SENPAI!" They got out of the car they were in and ran up to me. "What are you doing with him, Makino-senpai? After all he did to you and Domyoji-san, you'll still talk to him?" Sakurako asked, all the while staring at Junpei as if he was the last handsome guy on the face of the planet.

"She still talks to you, Sakurako. I think that if she can do that, she can talk to this guy too. That's just how Tsukushi-chan is," Kazuya said, his face full of defiance.

I smiled awkwardly and ripped my arm from the blonde girl's grasp. "Thank you, Kazuya." I then looked between the two of them and at the car that they'd just left. "What are you two doing together?"

Kazuya blushed and Sakurako looked extremely uncomfortable. "We are… That is… It's none of your business," she yelled. "I'm going to school now. Come on, Kazuya." Good to her word, she got back into the plain, undecorated, black Mercedes-Benz, and, like a pet, so did Kazuya. "See you at school, Makino-senpai!"

"They look like pet and master to me," Junpei said a few minutes after they'd left as we were walking to the train station.

"You thought so too?" It was so strange to see them together, but that was the impression that they'd given me.

"Well, it sort of reminds me of how he used to chase after you last year, Makino-san. That is, until he realized that he couldn't beat Domyoji out of your heart." His gentle words, even though they were laced by disdain at having to say his enemy's name, brought a faint blush to my cheeks and a smile to my lips.

"I suppose so. I really didn't notice how he felt about me. I must have been the most insensitive girl in Japan to him. I was so preoccupied with thoughts of Domyoji and Hanazawa Rui…" I stopped, realizing who I was talking to. "Ah, but you probably don't want to hear this."

"Au contraire, Makino-san."

"What?"

"It's French for "on the contrary"." He smiled and pulled me up onto the train as the doors opened. I really hadn't noticed how fast we'd been walking as we talked or how my feet seemed to already know the way. And part of me longed for it to be Domyoji with me at that moment. I could see him yelling at me for not paying attention and then demanding that I stay with him or else I would get lost and telling me how stupid I was.

"Junpei-kun, you're right that I won't be able to forget how you used me and what you did to Domyoji and me, but… I forgave you that day in the hospital. I know it's been a while, but I think that the two of us can be friends." I looked at him seriously at this point. "However, no more lies and no more photo sessions."

He seemed to deflate a bit, but then he flashed a dazzling smile at me. "I can deal with that, Makino-san. But, we're gonna miss our stop if we don't get off now."

"ACK!"

I remember just laughing and talking to Junpei as we walked to Eitoku from the train station, occasionally stopping our conversation to say hello to someone from school. It really was a shock for me to walk right into Nishikado's chest as we tried to enter the school grounds. "Already replacing Tsukasa, I see," he drawled, crossing one long leg over the other as he leaned against the gate.

"As if she'd replace Tsukasa with this jerk," Mimasaka said, walking up next to his friend with Hanazawa Rui in tow. "Besides, if she was stupid enough to try to replace Tsukasa, I don't think she'd do that with anyone but Rui."

Neither of them saw my school bag as I lifted it and smacked them both with it. "That's for being idiots," I shouted and raised my bag again. "This," I hit them harder that time, "is for waking me up way too early, you jerks!" I then held my head up high and walked past them.

"Hey, Makino! Oi! Look, we're sorry," Nishikado yelled, catching up to me in a matter of milliseconds. "We were just joking. You know, because we're all friends. But, we found out something interesting this morning as well."

"What?" Anything that could surprise those three was definitely worth checking out. However, I didn't have to wait long at all before I figured out what it was.

"TSUKUSHI-CHAN!" I recognized the voice and the short brown hair, but that was all I was allowed to see before I was plowed down and knocked on my butt. "I'm so glad that I decided to come to Eitoku! Eirin would have been sooooooo boring this year now that I'm in college. Besides, now I can see you everyday for lunch and take you out after school."

"Shi-shigeru-san?"

"Eeeeee! I can't wait for this afternoon! You'll come and have lunch with us, won't you?" I looked at my friend and then up at the F3 that surrounded us and I caved.

"Sure." Life would have just been too boring without seeing these four nearly constantly. "Nishikado, did Domyoji put you up to the stunt you pulled this morning?"

"No. Tsukasa had nothing to do with it, and he even yelled as us when we told him about it." That wasn't hard to imagine, and it brought a smile to my face.

"Then why are you doing it?"

"Because if you're going to date Tsukasa, we can't let our friend stay so pathetically poor," Mimasaka said, brushing a few strands of his straight hair out of his eyes before being pushed out of the way by Hanazawa Rui. I was glad when he offered a hand to help me up and free of Shigeru.

"I'd say thank you, Makino, and then hurry up for the opening ceremony, if you care about that. If not, you can hang out with us for the time being and then go to class," he said calmly.

I looked at my watch and noticed that it was nearly 8am. "Uwaaaaah! I'll see you guys at lunch! Bye!" I shouted over my shoulder as I ran all the way to the school. I could feel the looks of everyone's eyes on me as I ran, but I didn't care. I never have. Let the think what they want, I have my own life to live. That is the freedom that Domyoji and the F4 have given me.

I don't remember much else about that day's classes. I faintly remember Asai and her group in the class, whispering and throwing dirty looks at me, but I couldn't have cared less. When lunchtime rolled around, Sakurako, Junpei-kun, and Kazuya-kun were all waiting for me outside my classroom. The four of us walked over to the college cafeteria and were met by the F3 and Shigeru. Shigeru raced over and grabbed both Sakurako and I, pulling us into chairs next to her. The guys sat down at the table, ignoring the sounds of the other college students from the sudden outburst.

After school, I went to my part-time job at the dango shop and Yuuki was there. We chatted about school and I told her about the phone call from Nishikado that morning. She was very excited for me, and then I told her about Junpei-kun showing up and how he'd been accepted, informally, into our little group of friends at Eitoku. I got a call midway through my shift from my family, begging me to come home. Instead of fighting like I normally would, I agreed and cleared things with my boss.

When I got there, a moving truck was at the apartment building we'd only lived in for two weeks and things were being moved from our apartment down to the truck. I was, but then again I wasn't, mildly surprised to see Hanazawa Rui standing there, chatting with my excited mother as the movers went in and out of the dingy building. I could hear some of what my mother was saying, but nearly nothing of what Rui was replying with.

"I really can't believe that Mimasaka-san called and offered Papa the job personally. It's like a fairy tale come true for us," Mama was saying. It was then that I saw that Papa was fully dressed in a suit and tie and that Sumusu was standing next to him, a look of shock and disbelief on his face. Then, my mother looked over at me. "Tsukushi! Your friends are absolutely wonderful."

"Eh?" I looked over at Hanazawa Rui, but he just shrugged with a slight smile. I'd seen him during the afternoon break at school at the emergency exit, lazily watching the leaves of the trees flowing in the breeze, but I didn't come out to join him. My mind was wrapped up in things that had happened that morning and I didn't think that I could join him that soon. Maybe the next day, that's what I'd promised to myself as soon as I saw him.

"Papa got a job with the Mimasaka Trading Company, as a section chief, and they're helping us move into the company housing building right now. We're going to have the top floor of the housing building." My mother was practically floating, she was so happy, and I couldn't help but catch some of her contagious happiness.

"That's great, Mama. So, we're moving again? I get the feeling that Bedouins move less than we do…" I said.

"Onee-san, what's a Bedouin?" Sumusu asked, looking at me for the first time.

"They're nomads of the Sahara Desert in Africa," Hanazawa Rui replied for me. "Ah, Makino, I have a message for you. From Tsubaki."

"Tsubaki-nee-san? I thought she was in LA right now."

"She is, but she said she's coming back in two weeks to check up on you." He shrugged and gave me one of his quiet smiles. "Oh, and Shigeru and the others told me that I had to bring you over to Akira's house."

Turns out that everyone had heard the news by then, and the group had decided to throw a small party at Mimasaka's house for me. The F3, Shigeru, Yuuki, Kazuya, and Sakurako were there, and it was just like old times. The only thing that was missing was Domyoji's commanding presence, but I think that he was there with us in spirit. I remember crying at everyone's kindness, the first day taking its toll on me finally, and everyone laughing at me being so girly.

So, my last year at Eitoku was a good one. Tsubaki-nee-san and Tama-senpai made sure that I came over to the Domyoji mansion enough to make it feel like home. I even managed to meet Tsubaki-nee-san's husband, who was a very nice and handsome man. Kin-san and Ayano were kind enough to call me over to come and visit them every once in a while. Ayano even became good friends with Sakurako, Yuuki, and Shigeru too. There were many Sundays when I was dragged from my house by the four of them to go shopping and to hang out with the girls.

Domyoji and I talked on the phone every once in a while, but it was never for very long and he always sounded very tired. However, I was surprised to come home one evening to find a very large package in my room. (The apartment was a condo and I managed to have my own room again, something I didn't think I would ever have before I moved away from my parents.) The package was from Chanel, and it was very large. I carefully opened it, slamming the door to my room in my mother and father's faces, and I was surprised to find a very beautiful dress with matching shoes staring at me. There was also a card with the dress, and I immediately recognized the handwriting.

"Makino, I know your birthday is coming up soon. My sister and I are coming to Tokyo for a few days during that time. Tsubaki said that I should get you something nice. I wanted it to be a plane ticket to Canada again, but she said that was too much. Let me know when your winter break is and I will try and meet you in Canada, even if I have to have the others with us. –Domyoji Tsukasa"

There was a PS on the back of the card. "I love you."

I looked at the time and tried to figure out what time it was in NY, and realized that it was about 8am in New York, and that if I was lucky, I could call him before his busy day started. Quickly, I reached into my bag for my cell phone and dialed the number that I'd memorized already.

"Domyoji here," he answered gruffly, the sleep still evident in his voice.

"Didn't someone bring you coffee with your breakfast, Tsukasa?"

"Ma- Tsukushi?" We'd promised one another that we would try and get used to using one another's first names a few months ago, but it was still hard to be so casual with him. Strange that I thought that, even though before he left for New York I was willing to give him my virginity and he already had my heart.

"I got your gift. Who told you my birthday was coming up?" I know that I hadn't told him or any of the F3 either. For that matter, only the girls of our little group knew about my eighteenth birthday that was quickly approaching.

"Shigeru. She wanted to throw you a party and thought that I knew about it. Why didn't you tell me last year that your birthday is the day after Christmas?" He sounded hurt, and I wondered why he was being so sensitive about that.

"Because if I remember correctly, you bought my Christmas Eve date from me for 70,000 yen, and then you didn't talk to me for days because of the incident with that little boy," I said crossly, getting irritated by the memory of being blamed for that horrible day.

"That little boy was an obnoxious brat who interfered in our time alone," he shouted into my ear. The tone of his voice indicated that if I didn't stop the way this conversation was going now, then we'd spend our twenty minutes arguing about the past and I wouldn't get to talk to him about what he wanted to know.

"About Canada, why there again?"

"Because my parents and sister won't be there."

"Did you mean what you said about inviting everyone else too?"

"Tsukushi, I haven't seen you since April. It's now December. If that's the only way I'll get to see you, then yes." I smiled at the annoyance and blatant whining in his voice. Sometimes it amazed me how he could go from sounding like a very grown man to a small and spoiled child. However, that was one of the things that I loved about him, very much so. "So?"

Again I smiled because he was being impatient. "Of course, Tsukasa. Winter break is the same as it was last year, the week between Christmas and New Year's. Can you take that much time off?"

I was surprised to hear him sigh morosely. "Not really, but I will be there for a few days." The sound of shuffled papers carried over the phone, along with the voice of someone else. "I'll call Akira and Soujiro when I have free time to set this up. Invite whomever else you want to bring."

"Alright. I'll let Yuuki and Shigeru know." I paused, and the thought of our last trip to Canada and the night alone we spent came to my mind. "Let's not have a repeat of last year."

"Woman, you are pushing your luck," he growled, but I could tell that he was only playing.

"I'll take that as my cue to let you go and be important, Domyoji Tsukasa," I replied happily. "Don't do anything… Never mind. I love you."

"What were you going to say? Makino! Oi!" He paused in his yelling for a moment. "Can't you see I'm on the phone? Go away! Oi, Makino, finish your sentence."

"Tsukasa, you need to work. I'll talk to you later. You can call me in the morning to yell at me if you want. I have the day off."

"You better believe I will!" There was a click that signified the end of the call, and I couldn't help but start laughing. Even thousands of miles away, he can get riled up by a few words. I suppose that that is just part of his charm.

He called me the next morning, before I went to school, and made a big deal of what I didn't say. After explaining to him that I had to get off the phone because of classes, I finally told him that it really hadn't been a complete thought. I'd spoken before thinking is what I ended up telling him, to which he replied that it was typical of me to do something like that. After that, he let me go, mainly because I don't think he could stay awake any longer and still get up the next morning to work.

It was a good thing that we ended the call when we did because Shigeru and Sakurako, who had strangely become very good friends when I wasn't looking, came and started talking a million miles a minute at me. When they paused for breath, I casually mentioned the invitation to Tsukasa's winter house in Canada, to which they squealed happily and began plotting. Who should come and save me from them but Hanazawa Rui, Nishikado and Mimasaka. They managed to gather from the other girls what they were so elated about and started sharing information with them as well. I took that time to sneak away to my first class, ready to get my day over with so I could tell Yuuki about the trip at work that day.

As I expected, Yuuki was all but screaming in joy when I told her about the upcoming trip as we closed the shop that evening, trying to figure out how she could get her parents to say yes to another random trip to Canada to be paid for by the F4. "Oh, but Tsukushi, do you really want everyone to be there for the first time you and Domyoji see each other after such a long time?"

"I… I don't know, Yuuki. I guess I'm just really glad that I can see him anyway. It's been eight months now, and I think we only talk once every two weeks. Even then, one of us is practically asleep or too busy to really try and have a meaningful conversation. I think I've had more time with Tsubaki-nee-san and Tama-san in the last eight months." I sighed as I put my shoes back on. "Well, I'll have Nishikado call you tonight with all the details, since it looks like the guys are the ones who are actually doing all the planning."

"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow, Tsukushi."

"Good night." I gave my best friend a hug and started home.

The day after Christmas, my eighteenth birthday, my house was invaded by the F3, Kazuya, Shigeru, Sakurako, Yuuki, and, to my complete surprise, Junpei. I was pulled out of bed, forced to dress, and was bodily carried out of the apartment to a waiting car that swooped us all off to the airport. I was not surprised that a private jet was waiting for us. I was even less surprised to see that it bore the Domyoji name on the side. Nothing less from those four.

On the plane, we were served breakfast, and everyone was chattering away. While eating, I couldn't help notice that Mimasaka-san and Shigeru were talking animatedly. Putting down my fork, I leaned over to Nishikado, who decided that he just had to sit next to me for my own protection from Hanazawa Rui (yeah right), and whispered, "Since when are they so close?"

"Didn't Shigeru tell you? She and Akira's families have decided to betroth them."

"As in another prearranged marriage?"

"You sound surprised. I would have thought that you would be used to this now. Akira has given into it and Shigeru doesn't seem to hate him."

"I… Well, I suppose that I really shouldn't be so surprised, but those two are so different."

"Yes, she is rather different from Akira's normal type of lady, but once she dresses up and presents herself, she looks less like a monkey and more like a fine woman."

"Who are you calling a monkey, Soujiro!" Shigeru shouted, jumping up from her window seat across the aisle and nearly tackling both Nishikado and I. "Sheesh, you're more of an animal than anyone else, besides Tsukasa, I know." She gave me a big smile. "I was going to tell you when we got there, Tsukushi, but I guess it's out now." Wrapping one of her slender arms around Mimasaka's neck and sitting on the arm of his chair, she looked around the plane. "We're going to be married!"


	2. Chapter 2

Title: You Want Me to Be What

**Title:** You Want Me to Be What?? (2/??)

**Author:** Makoto Sagara

**Series:** Hana Yori Dango (Boys over Flowers)

**Archive:** afallenangel-dot-net-slash-makotosagara, fanfiction-dot-net, Foreverfandom-dot-net; anywhere else, please ask first.

**Pairings:** Tsukasa/Tsukushi, Rui +Tsukushi, Akira + Shigeru, Kazuya/Sakurako, others will pop up

**Warnings:** Heterosexual pairings, language, violence, angst, sap, based off the manga

**Rating:** 15 and up (T+)

**Disclaimers:** Hana Yori Dango is the property of Yoko Kamio, the publishing company of the manga, and all the television companies that produced the anime. I make no money from this. In fact, I have no money. I just can't get my stupid muses to leave me alone after a month and I'm caving into their insanity…

**Notes:** Thanks to Chroma for pointing out the fact that I messed up Akira's family name towards the end in the first chapter. And, also, yes, I listed Het pairings and based of the manga as warnings. First, of all, I normally write slash/yaoi and secondly, I've seen too many fics based off the anime. Bleh.

**Summary:** Tsukushi's four years without Domyoji are up. After all of the good things that happened to her since her senior year at Eitoku Gakuen, will his reappearance change things? And why is his whole family in tow? What does his mother have in plan for Tsukushi that could change her life for good? (This is based off the manga ending, not the anime ending.)

"We're going to be married!"

Sakurako and Yuuki squealed with joy and the other three girls spent the rest of the plane ride talking about all the plans that Shigeru and her mother were already putting into play. For some reason, I couldn't really get excited about her news, although I was happy for her. Maybe it was because part of me knew that had I not been in the picture, the wedding that Shigeru was talking so animatedly about would have been to Domyoji. That thought made me a bit ill-at-ease. Or maybe a part of me was still dwelling on the unreal marriage proposal of so many months ago.

"You aren't going to join them in the talk?" Hanazawa Rui asked, coming and taking the spot that had been vacated by Nishikado as I seemed to zone out into my own thoughts. I looked across the aisle and saw that Nishikado and Mimasaka were quietly talking amongst themselves. Kazuya and Junpei seemed rather quietly talking to one another as well. "Makino, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Hanazawa Rui. Just a little… tired," I said, forcing a small smile.

"Yes, waking up at six am is a bit much," he said. "However, I remembered that today is your birthday." He handed me a small box covered in red velvet. Cautiously, I opened it up and saw a beautiful gold chain with a small diamond pendant. "Don't look at me like that. Tsukasa called me and asked that the three of us get you a gift for your birthday. That's what we decided on, with Shigeru's help."

Blinking, I closed my mouth and gave him a real smile. "It's beautiful."

"It's a bit small, but Shigeru thought that anything bigger would be too much." Hanazawa Rui sighed heavily and leaned his head against the back of the chair. "Wake me up before we land, Makino."

"Okay," I said, carefully putting on the chain and pulling the pendant up to stare at the gleaming stone. This was the second piece of jewelry that Tsukasa had given me. The gorgeous Saturn pendant he gave me last year was at home, in my brand new jewelry box, locked up safe and sound. "Sometimes, you're too much," I whispered, smiling happily to myself.

As soon as the plane landed, the guys ushered us into a few cars, out of the cold and crisp Canadian air, intent on getting us to Tsukasa's house as soon as possible. Yuuki, Hanazawa Rui, Junpei, and I were in one car, while Mimasaka, Nishikado, Shigeru, Sakurako, and Kazuya piled into the other car. I spent the three hour car ride enjoying the company of my friends and the beautiful scenery. I was trying to stop the pounding of my heart at the expectancy of meeting Domyoji again.

Before I knew it, the cars were stopping in front of the gorgeous villa, and servants were coming out of it to take our luggage inside. Not surprisingly, Tsukasa wasn't waiting for us outside. However, I knew where he would be. And it looked like the others did as well, for they were all chattering as they walked inside. I stopped and looked around at the large, colonial styled mansion and smiled faintly at it.

"Are you thinking about last year?"

"A little," I said, turning my gaze to Hanazawa Rui's amused face. "I'm just glad that Asai and those other girls aren't here this year."

"Yes, I thought that Sakurako and Tsukasa were going to kill them."

"Yes, well, you're the one who threw water on them and called them murderers."

He chuckled darkly and walked inside. "Better not keep him waiting. You know what he's like."

I did, but I still couldn't stop the hammering in my chest and the dryness in my mouth. I think my legs were even trembling. I hadn't seen him in so long that I didn't know if I could gather up enough courage to make it up the stairs and inside that disgustingly large house to see its master. Squaring my shoulders and taking deep breaths, I forced one foot in front of each other and slowly made my way inside.

"Makino!"

There he was, his tall, commanding presence filling my view and demanding that I look at him. He looked the way I remembered him, long legs in comfortable jeans, a warm sweater hugging his broad chest and shoulders, and his ridiculous hairstyle still forcing that you look at his handsome face, which was twisted into a look of annoyance, aimed at me, no doubt. I smiled at him, my face blushing as I took in all of him, but, before I knew it, I was crying and I couldn't stop.

"Tsu-tsukushi?" He sounded worried and scared as he wrapped his strong arms around me, enveloping me in the smell of his expensive cologne and the feel of his body. Something stirred in me, a yearning I think, that I hadn't felt before, as he held me. Scared, but overwhelmingly happy, I pulled away and wiped the tears from my face.

"I missed you, Domyoji Tsukasa."

He crushed me close to him once again, leaned over, and gently kissed me. "I missed you too, Tsukushi," he whispered, returning to kissing me. Slowly, my arms wrapped around his back, and the kiss deepened, the yearning in me growing larger and louder. The more it demanded my attention, the harder I held onto Tsukasa and deepened our kiss.

"Oh, here you two are," Nishikado said merrily, forcing the two of us to break apart and catch our breaths. "Please, don't let us interrupt you, but you might want to take that upstairs." He gave us a lecherous smile that made me blush from my toes to the tips of my hair.

"Don't you know anything about timing, Soujiro?!" Tsukasa yelled as he kicked Nishikado in the shin.

"Don't you know that you shouldn't make out with your girlfriend in the middle of the hallway, idiot?!"

"Shut up," Tsukasa shot back before turning to me. The little vein above his right eye had popped out and was throbbing, but his eyes were gentle. "I'll show you to your room, Makino."

Thoughts of the last time he said that swam to my mind, also followed by the events that happened shortly thereafter, but I forced them back and fell into step beside Tsukasa. Unconsciously, our hands met and his fingers laced around mine. His hand was comfortably warm and strong, easily engulfing my smaller hand. I suppose that was how our relationship seemed at first, him hot and strongly trying to win me over any way he could, and me trying to run away from being swallowed up. His persistent and nearly conflicting actions finally won me over, drowning out the thought of being with anyone but Domyoji Tsukasa.

I stopped short as we reached the door to a room, trying desperately not to slam into Tsukasa's broad back. Looking up, I could see his big brown eyes staring at me. "What? Is there something on my face?" I asked, trying to sound as if I was joking and hoping that he wouldn't get upset. Needless to say, I was mildly surprised when he gently cupped my face and placed a sweet and soft kiss on my lips. "What was that for?"

"I missed you," he whispered, one hand winding around my back. The other bent my knees and before I knew it, he was carrying me, bridal style, into the room. I hadn't even noticed when the door had opened, but Tsukasa took great pains to make sure he didn't bang my head or feet against the door frame. He gently set me down on my own feet and felt my heart stop and nearly break out of pure joy.

A large king-sized bed was surrounded by red roses and baby's breath. I could only assume that those were either red silk or Egyptian cotton sheets, but the candles and flowers with the canopied bed brought tears to my eyes. "Beautiful," I whispered, feeling his arms wrap around me from behind.

"Not as beautiful as you."

"Hardly. I've been flying for hours and I didn't even get a chance to dress appropriately before I was hauled out of my bed this morning," I protested.

"Tsukushi," he growled. The sound of his voice made my knees weak and my heart kick start by fluttering in my chest. "Shut up, woman!" I couldn't even put up any sort of resistance as he turned me around in his arms and his lips met mine again. Just being with him made all time and space seem to stop, and before I could even blink, we were laying on the bed, hands all over one another.

There was a time - not so long ago - that I would have fought to get him off of me, but as I laid there, kissing him, I realized that this was exactly where I wanted to be. We were alone and together finally after months of separation. I just prayed that there wouldn't be any interruptions, like the F3, Tsubaki-nee-san, or anything of the sort. "Did you lock the door," I asked as my hands fumbled to push his sweater over his head.

"Of course," he whispered into my neck, his teeth gently nibbling as his hands deftly unbuttoned my shirt.

"Good." I didn't even blush that time as his hand found its way under my bra to begin gently massaging my breast.

"Where is Tsukushi?" Kazuya called from the hallway.

"Shut up, Kazuya. You're so stupid. I don't even know why I let you hang around someone as perfect as myself," Sakurako yelled.

The little exchange in the hallway seemed to deflate Tsukasa's mood, and he just dropped down next to me on the bed. Unfortunately, that was not what I wanted at the time and I was rather cross about being disturbed yet again. I grumbled as I rolled over to put my head on his chest, but the sound of his beating heart near my ear and the warmth of his body finally lulled me into a restful sleep.

I woke up many hours later, Tsukasa next to me slumbering peacefully. I took the opportunity to study his handsomely innocent face. While the features that I knew and loved were there, so were dark circles that I hadn't noticed before. I guess that his hectic life of working and meetings and college courses were making little time for restful sleep for him. I could feel a tightening in my chest and other parts of my body as I just watched him, but I didn't want to wake him up and I was no longer sleepy. Carefully, I extracted my legs from his, dressed in clean clothes, washed my face and straightened my hair before walking downstairs to the large living room.

"Makino-senpai!" Sakurako yelled, as she was one of the two who were facing the door as I entered. It seems that the only ones missing from the gathering were Rui and Tsukasa. Akira and Shigeru were on one couch. The other held Nishikado, Yuuki and Junpei, while Sakurako and Kazuya sat clumsily next to one another on the loveseat that faced the door.

"I guess that Hanazawa Rui is off sleeping somewhere?" I smiled at the others as I said that.

"You know what that guy is like, Makino," Akira said, stretching out his long legs onto the coffee table and winding his arm around Shigeru. "All he does is sleep."

"It looks like you are comfortable with one another," I said, sitting on the other side of my friend.

"Well, even if it is a prearranged marriage, and we may not love one another, at least we are comfortable with the other person," she answered, smiling over at Akira. "Besides, not all of us are as lucky as you to get the person that we love."

I blushed at that statement, a happy smile crossing my face at the same time. "I suppose that I am lucky."

"Damn right, you are," called a familiar voice, laced with what I knew was irritation. "Don't you all look so cozy, sitting here?" Tsukasa had on clean clothes and was over to me in a few long strides. "Why did you leave?"

"You were sleeping so soundly. I didn't want to wake you."

"So, does this mean you two finally did it?" Soujiro asked from the next couch. Looking around Domyoji, I could see everyone else in the room staring at us – even Junpei.

"Wo-would you just shut the hell up?" Tsukasa yelled, moving over to try and kick Soujiro, yet again.

"You're so damn violent, Tsukasa," his friend yelled back, his fist moving up to hit him back.

"Anyway," Yuuki said sweetly, "it's still December 26th, which means it's still Tsukushi's birthday! What are we going to do?"

Tsukasa and Soujiro broke up their little spat long enough to look over at me. "What?" I asked softly. "Have I got something on my face?"

"Not really," Hanazawa Rui said sleepily as he wandered his way into the living room as well.

"It's a shame that Ayano-san and Amakusa-san couldn't be here as well," Yuuki said.

"But Kin-san couldn't take that much time off from his new sushi restaurant," I replied.

"I know," she said, sighing heavily. "But, if they were here, then it would be everyone and could have a huge party."

"We can have a huge party anyway," Junpei replied. I think until that point, Tsukasa had just blocked out his very presence, but there was no denying that he noticed him at that point.

"Who invited you, model?" he growled.

I jumped up from the couch and placed a hand on Tsukasa's chest. "I did. Everything is alright. He is our friend, and I wanted him to be here, along with Kin-san and Ayano-san, for my birthday. You don't mind, do you?" He looked down at me and his anger seemed to melt off his face.

"I guess not," he grumbled, walking over to the windows. "Should we go snowboarding?"

"It's too late for that," Akira said. "Besides, the weather report is calling for heavy snow tonight. We don't want a repeat of last year…"

"What happened last year?" Kazuya asked.

"Don't ask stupid questions," Sakurako said, elbowing him in the stomach.

"Actually," I said, blushing yet again, "I'm a little hungry after everything. The airline food wasn't all that great."

"Yeah, you'd think being on a private Domyoji jet, they could have at least served better food," Soujiro said.

"Are you trying to piss me off," Tsukasa growled, the little vein above his right eye popping up again.

"Everyone relax. Tsukushi's not the only one who's hungry. We were all just waiting for the three of you to finally join us before trying to get some food," Shigeru said, jumping up from the couch. "Now that everyone's awake, dinner time!" She grabbed my arm and dragged me out to the dining room.

I laughed at her antics, trying to get free from her strong grip along the way. "It's okay, Shigeru. You're going to make me crash into a wall or something. Slow down."

"Sorry, Tsukushi. I just can't take it when they argue like that. Makes me wonder how they've been friends for so long."

"Sometimes, I wonder myself, but then they are always there for each other when one of them needs something."

"True. True," she said, sitting down at the dining room table and patting the chair at the head. "You should sit here since you are the guest of honor. And I'll sit next to you on your left. Yuuki-chan can sit on your right. Akira will sit next to me. Soujiro can sit next to Yuuki….." She started rambling off the seating arrangements as everyone else followed us into the room.

And so, my 18th birthday passed with a huge dinner, lots of fabulous presents, and lots of drinking late into the night. There was this huge cake made for me by Tsukasa's servants that made Shigeru and Yuuki squeal in joy, and I must admit that it was rather impressive, but it resembled a wedding cake a bit too much for my tastes. However, it was delicious when Tsukasa brought me the first slice.

After everyone had passed out on the floor of the living room, I wandered out onto the back balcony and watched as the snow slowly fell around the house. I was hardly surprised when warm, strong arms wrapped around me.

"If you're not careful, you'll catch a cold again," Tsukasa said with a hint of irritation in his otherwise smooth voice.

"I wasn't planning on staying out here that long," I replied. "Did you hear the news about Akira and Shigeru?"

"Of course. As the heir to the Domyoji Empire, things as important as the engagement of a rival heir was told to me," he said, his chest puffing out. "Besides, Akira called me, depressed, when his parents told him."

"Truthfully, I never thought that those two would agree to something like that. I was so sure that Shigeru would find someone who she genuinely loved to marry, and that Akira would run away as fast as possible from that arrangement."

"They certainly seem like an odd couple."

"What about Sakurako and Kazuya?" I said, turning around and burying my head into his chest.

"I saw that happening last year, even though you seemed to not notice it."

"R-really? …It took me a long time to even notice that Kazuya had feelings for me, other than friendship."

"You really are dense," he said, a smile in his voice. "But that's one of the reasons I love you."

I punched him lightly in the arm, snuggling even closer as I did so. "Well, excuse me for having a hard time for even identifying my own feelings, let alone anyone else's. But, those two look like a master and pet, not really boyfriend and girlfriend."

"True. She says jump and he can't keep up fast enough, from what the others have told me."

"Oh, by the way, Sumusu says hello and wonders when you'll be back to Japan. It seems he misses his Domyoji-nii-san."

"How is he?"

"He's fine. He loves his first year of high school and he's rather happy that our parents let him go to a regular school, instead of enrolling him at Eitoku."

"And does his older sister miss anything in particular?"

"Of course I miss you, you idiot," I said, pulling away from him and feeling a hot blush cross my face.

"Good," he said, pulling me back into the house. We carefully tiptoed around the others as they lay sprawled all over the place and snuck up to our room.

As soon as the door was closed and audibly locked, our hands took on a life of their own, undressing each other as our lips met over and over. I wish I could say that my first time was absolutely perfect, but there was pain and blood and it was over way too soon. I really couldn't see the big deal that was made by everyone else over sex. However, after much touching and kissing and whispering to one another, we were making love – slower and gentler this time, less desperate. All I remember was this amazing feeling of floating and the feel of his body inside and around me as my whole body shook. I know that Tsukasa climaxed again, and it felt so strangely wonderful to be held by him as every muscle in my body seemed to melt.

All I heard before sleep overtook me again was the sound of his voice whispering in my ear "I love you."


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **You Want Me to Be What? 3/?**  
Author: **Makoto Sagara**  
Series:** Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) **  
Pairings:** Tsukasa/Tsukushi, Sakurako/Kazuya, Mimasaka/Shigeru, others TBD**  
Rating:** T+**  
Warning:** het, language, based off of manga, OOC, SPOILERS

**Chapter Three**

After our time in Canada, things went back to normal. Sort of. Tsukasa went back to working and studying for long hours back in New York, and I and all of our friends went back to Tokyo. School was a blur, and before I knew it, it was nearly graduation time. To my surprise, that was when Tsubaki-nee-san returned from Los Angeles.

I remember the moment that I saw her. I had just gotten out of English class when the halls began buzzing with the whispers of my fellow classmates.

"I just heard that Domyouji Tsubaki-senpai has shown up," Asai whispered to her friends.

"What in the world could make her return?" Yamano, one of her cronies, asked. Suddenly, I could feel three pair of eyes glaring into my back. It felt oddly like the year before when they would go between trying to suck up to me and openly hate me for how close I was to the F4.

"Tsukushi-chan," Tsubaki called in her strong voice as I stepped out into the hallway.

"Nee-san!" She rushed over to give me a hug and I breathed in deeply her Chanel perfume. "I thought you were going to be in LA for the next month? Why are you home so soon?"

"What are you talking about? How could I possibly miss your graduation?" She pulled me away and looked at me carefully. "Akira called me to tell me that it was soon and I wanted to come and see you become a woman! I'm so proud of you for sticking around and staying with my worthless brother. You have no idea."

"He… he's not worthless," I responded, my face turning a few shades of red. "Oh, but I promised Shigeru that I would go shopping with her this afternoon."

"Oh, Ookawahara-san? You're still friends with her?"

"Yes, she transferred here at the beginning of last year so she could attend college on this campus."

"I heard that she and Akira are engaged from Tsukasa. How are things going between those two?"

"Well…" Before I could say anything else, we were joined by Shigeru, Sakurako, Kazuya and the rest of the F3.

"Nee-san, I heard that you were here," Soujirou said happily. "When did you arrive?"

"Last night, but I decided that I would sleep off the jet lag before I attempted any kidnappings. However, I found out that Tsukushi has already been claimed for the day," Tsubaki said sadly.

"Oh, Tsubaki-san, why don't you come with us?" Shigeru said, taking an arm of both myself and the taller woman. "There is always room for another woman's opinion. But, we'd better hurry. We're supposed to meet Yuki-chan at the store in about thirty minutes."

"I couldn't poss-"

"Don't be ridiculous, Tsubaki-senpai. Shigeru would love to have you along," Sakurako simpered.

"Akira, please tell your mother that I will be over for dinner this evening," Shigeru said, kissing her fiancé on his cheek before dragging the rest of us off.

"I see that things are progressing well for the two of you," Tsubaki said once we were all in the back of one of the Domyouji limos.

"Well, I suppose that it could be worse. He's nice to me, and I love his younger sisters," Shigeru replied.

"They are adorable… So, Sakurako, how are things with you?"

"Fine, but they could always be better," the youngest of us said sadly.

"Ah, you say that, but didn't you and Kazuya go off on a romantic weekend recently?" I teased, watching my kohai's face turn a few shades of red.

"You've been hanging around Nishikado-senpai too much, Tsukushi," she protested.

"Speaking of, are Soujirou and Rui dating anyone?" Tsubaki asked.

"The only person who could put up with Rui besides Shizuka is Tsukushi, and she's taken," Shigeru said. "As for Nishikado, he's still dating everything with a skirt."

"I suppose his father will announce an engagement in the next few years then," I said, my face twisting up in disgust just a bit.

"Perhaps, although, I have yet to hear anything from anyone," Tsubaki added thoughtfully. "So, where are we going shopping?"

"Ah, well, we…" Shigeru became very red and started stammering.

"Nee-san, we are going for dress fitting for the wedding. It's in a few months, before the next school year begins," I answered for my friend, who gave me a grateful smile.

"Why are you so embarrassed, Ookawahara-san?"

"Oh, no, please, call me Shigeru, Tsubaki-san. After all, we were almost related."

"Hm…." The air in the back of the car grew a little formal as we slowed down outside of the shopping district.

"Ah, look, there's Yuki-chan," Sakurako said, jumping out of the car as soon as it came to a stop. Sure enough, my best friend was standing outside of the Prada store, looking uncomfortable but excited. I watched as she and Sakurako hugged happily and began chatting. I could feel a part of myself begin to beam as I realized that I was really able to completely meld all the wonderful women in my life at that one moment.

The dress fittings took about an hour and then we all looked around at the other clothes in the store. Sakurako and Tsubaki tried to convince me to purchase a very pretty floor length gown that was on sale, but I couldn't see myself spending so much on a dress I had no idea where I would wear it to.

"What about for Prom, Tsukushi?" Shigeru added in. "I think the coloring would be absolutely gorgeous with that earring set Tsukasa got you for your anniversary."

"Can you even call it an anniversary? We talked for an hour, maybe, because he couldn't leave New York," I said miserably.

"Aw, Tsukushi-senpai, you sound so much like a girl in love," Sakurako teased, her face scrunching up just a bit in distaste. Even after all that time, she was likely to shoot barbs at me for "stealing" Tsukasa from her.

"Well, I talked to my useless brother yesterday and he said that he was planning on coming for your prom, if he could get away," Tsubaki said awkwardly. "What about you, Yuki? What are you doing for prom?"

"Ah…. Well…. That is…" Yuki flushed bright red and couldn't speak anymore.

"She's going to her prom with Oribe Junpei," I said, waggling my eyes meaningfully.

"The model?"

"The very one!"

Since the day that Junpei-kun showed up at my door to apologize, he had become an auxiliary member of the F4, meeting with the rest of us in the college cafeteria nearly every day that he wasn't working, and hanging out with us every chance he got. That he and Yuki became acquainted enough to begin dating wasn't all that amazing, and even his brother, Shingo-kun, thought it was rather amusing.

"Tsukushi, you should buy the dress," Tsubaki said abruptly, "or, I will buy it for you."

The other girls began laughing as I flushed and marched up to the counter to buy the garment in question. Truly, it was absolutely beautiful, sky blue silk with navy flowers embroidered all down the left side of the gown. As the cashier rang up my purchase, I could see Yuki and Tsubaki whispering furiously, both of them looking at me and frowning.

As I rejoined my friends, Shigeru's phone began ringing. She stared at the name on the phone's display and cringed. "It's my mother," she said unhappily.

"What's the matter?" I asked her.

"I'm late for dinner."

"Uh oh, you'd better hurry or Akira-senpai will call," Sakurako said, pushing her towards the door playfully and taking Yuki with her. "We'll see you later, Tsukushi-senpai."

"So I take it that Akira and Shigeru are doing well?"

"As well as can be expected," I answered, shifting my bag and sighing. "Now, I'll need shoes to go with this… They actually appear to be happy and spend a lot of time together. They date normally and he's stopped messing around with married women as well."

"Then he's serious. I'm glad. What of Soujirou, do you really not see him with anyone?"

"Like we said before, he's still the biggest playboy around." I frowned momentarily as a random thought occurred to me. "I think he actually got worse when he found out that Yuki and Junpei-kun were dating."

"Really now?" Tsubaki smiled oddly and grabbed my arm. "How about having dinner with me at the house? I'm sure Tama-san will be glad to see you."

"Of course, I'd love to. Let me call my mother, and then we can head there." I took out my cellphone and hurriedly placed the call to my parents, letting them know what was going on. Not surprisingly, they had no objection to me having dinner elsewhere, once the name Domyouji was mentioned. "They pass on their regards."

"You're parents really are strange people, but I like them."

"You have no idea," I muttered as we slid into the comfortable leather seats of the Mercedes-Benz limo. "So, why don't you tell me why you're really here, Tsubaki-nee-san?"

"You're graduating in two weeks, yes?" I nodded, waiting for the other shoe to drop in this situation. Something told me that it had to do with one of my least favorite people. "Well, Mother has mentioned that you seem to be doing rather well and she "wondered" if you were going to attend college as well."

"She wondered? Why didn't she just ask me herself?" I sighed in frustration as I thought about all of our previous conversations. "Really, that woman makes me so angry sometimes!"

"And this is why I was sent to find out. The two of you don't exactly have the best relationship."

"Hmm, this is true, but to answer her question, yes. I plan on attending college at Eitoku. Since Akira managed to get my father the pity job at his company, Father has been doing better. It's almost like he's a different man. So, my parents have stressed that I get a degree and a job before I even _think_ of getting married to anyone." I laughed. "It's like they've been replaced by aliens in the last year."

"Well, that _is_ unusual, but I'm glad that they want you to graduate college," Tsubaki replied, sounding just as amused. "Truthfully, I've been thinking of going back myself."

"You should! I'm sure that Nii-san would want you to be happy."

"Yes, my husband certainly has told me that if I want to go back to school and finish my degree that he would support me 100%. I just don't know what I would study." She leveled her large brown eyes on me suddenly. "What about yourself?"

"Oh, I don't know. Hanazawa Rui has suggested that I study business. Nishikado said I should take music classes. Mimasaka and Shigeru think that I should study both World and Japanese History. Sakurako said I should study English, but somehow from her that doesn't seem to be as nasty as it could be." We both laughed in memory of the girl's performance at the ToJ contest the year before.

"And what about you? What do you want? I think Rui's suggestion of business classes is smart, but the other suggestions are useful too."

"What would I do with music classes?" I flushed as I remembered the debacle at Tsukasa's eighteenth birthday party a year earlier. "Do you think your mother would like another concert of my "avant garde" style of playing?"

"Well, whatever you decide to do, Tsukushi-chan, I'll stand behind you." Her smile and the sentiment touched me so much that I could feel tears gathering behind my eyes.

"Thank you, Tsubaki-nee-san." I hugged her tightly as we got out of the car and walked up the stairs to the ever-imposing Domyouji mansion. We had just reached the top step when the door was thrown open by Tama-senpai.

"Well, it took you long enough to come and see me, silly girl," the old woman said affectionately.

"I'm sorry, senpai. I've just been busy lately." The older woman huffed and showed us into one of the parlors.

"Since I understand that you are graduating soon, I will leave you be. However, I expect you to show yourself here more often."

"Hai!" We all laughed at the silly situation and Tama left Tsubaki and me alone. "So, Nee-san, I think I'd like to go to the US before I start college. Hanazawa Rui has offered his apartment in New York, but I was hoping to see Beverly Hills as well. I'm also told that the beaches in California are to die for."

"We'd be delighted to have you in LA at any time you want, Tsukushi. Just let me know when, and I will be at the airport to pick you up." She lowered her eyes thoughtfully and sighed. "Why don't you want to go to New York?"

"I'm still not comfortable around your mother, and I have yet to actually meet your father. Somehow, I think that if I went there, I'd be expected to attend some sort of odd and uncomfortable occasion with both of them present."

"Well, Father has said to me that he wants to meet you. As far as our mother goes, you'll have to be the best judge of how that would work out. Have you spoken to Tsukasa about this?"

"Not yet. The last time we spoke, he was between meetings. Oh, how is his English going?"

"Actually, very well," Tsubaki said, slowly rearranging her long limbs. "He and I converse pretty much in English since his tutor suggested it. Our parents are also stressing English as well, at least until he improves more."

We spent the rest of the evening gossiping and enjoying one another's company, but some small part of me felt like Tsubaki was fishing for something and it made me a little cautious. I woke up the next morning in one of the enormous bedrooms to my cellphone ringing incessantly. "Yes?" I said groggily, wincing as the sun peaked through the curtains and hurt my eyes and head.

"Are you hung over, Makino?"

"Tsukasa? Do you have any idea what time it is? On a coveted Sunday, no less," I said, smiling despite the pain his loud tone brought me.

"I thought you'd be on the way to one of your many part-time jobs since there's no school and I'm in the US."

"I actually took the next month off between graduation and Shigeru and Akira's wedding," I said, sitting up in the bed and resting against the fluffy pillows.

"Hm, that's very unlike you."

"Well, it's hardly every day that one of my good friends gets married, you know."

"True."

"Are you coming? I know they both want you to attend."

"I don't think so. I actually have to go to Europe on a business trip all throughout April and May."

"How unfortunate," I answered, not bothering to mask my disappointment. "Hanazawa Rui actually suggested that Yuki and I take a trip to the US with him and a few of our other friends before we start college in May." Even over the phone, I could hear the upcoming explosion and worked fast to diffuse the situation. "And I told him that we would have to pass up on that, but I did talk to Tsubaki-nee-san about visiting her in LA after the wedding, and possibly showing up in New York as well. But, if you're not going to be there, it can wait."

"When would you be coming out?"

"I'm still thinking about it. It's no definite yet." I sighed in frustration. "Tsukasa, I wouldn't go all the way to New York and not see you. There'd be no point in going if you aren't there."

"You don't have to attend college in Tokyo," he said, his voice pouting just a tiny bit.

"I've told you before that I'm not moving to New York."

He was silent for several minutes and I began to worry that he'd hung up before he replied. "Tsukushi… If I can't make it back to Tokyo in time for your prom, go with Rui or Soujirou."

"Tsukasa…" My heart began pounding painfully in my ribcage and my mouth grew painfully dry. "What is going on?"

"I have to go." The strain of civility in his voice made me worry even more.

"Tsukasa!"

"I don't have time for this. I have to go. I'll call you later." He hung up before I could say anything else and I could feel tears slide down my face as I stared at my silent phone. What in the world was going on? I couldn't understand anything. Things had been perfect when we were in Canada and nothing had really changed since the last time we'd talked, three days before.

The rest of the day seemed to crawl by as I dealt with both a hangover and a heavy heart due to the conversation with Tsukasa. By the late afternoon, I walked from the Domyouji mansion back to my house, lost in thought. What finally forced me to pay attention was bumping a person in front of my house. "Makino, what's wrong?" Hanazawa Rui's deep and calming voice seemed worried as he helped me to my feet from the ground.

"N-nothing," I said, hoping my voice didn't let on I was lying and wincing as the high pitch aggravated my lingering hangover. "Have you been waiting long?"

"No, your parents told me you were with Tsubaki, so I was going to head over to Soujirou's for tea."

"Why don't you come up then? I'll make you tea and you can have milk in it without anyone giving you a hard time." Quietly, he nodded and then followed me up to my top floor apartment. My parents were watching television together and Sumusu seemed to be off at a friend's house, so my house was actually fairly quiet. "I heard from Shizuka-sempai the other day."

"Oh?" Hanazawa Rui hung up his jacket as I did and followed me into the kitchen while I set some water on to boil.

"She just wanted to chat a little bit," I said, blushing as I remembered the long distance talk I had with her. "She also invited me to Paris for a few weeks, but then said that she would be busy with school and work and apologized."

He laughed and his face lit up, allowing me to smile in return. "She's always like that. So, are you going to go?"

"How can I? Tsubaki wants me to go to LA. Tsukasa…." I stopped, my thoughts trailing back to the early morning phone call and sighing.

"Did something happen with him?" I looked up into his concerned eyes and could feel the tears start to well up.

"I-I'm not sure. We were talking normally, and then I mentioned maybe, possibly, going to New York with Yuki and you after graduation… He just…"

"Let me guess. He got quiet and then nasty?" I nodded in response, pouring the now boiling water over the tea leaves and stirring silently. "Tsukushi, he's an idiot. I'm pretty sure he got jealous when you mentioned me."

"He's such a kid in some ways, but then at other times, he's so mature. It's difficult to deal with sometimes." Rui said nothing and just accepted the tea that I turned in his direction, adding milk while I sipped mine straight.

"I wouldn't put much thought into it. Besides, if he doesn't come to the graduation, I can take you to prom."

"That's the funny thing, Rui. He said that if he didn't come to ask you or Soujirou. I have a bad feeling about this all."

"Like I said, don't worry about it, Tsukushi." He stood and kissed my forehead. "I'll see you on campus tomorrow."

"Okay." I watched as he put on his shoes and jacket and left the house as if he lived there. Some small part of me was content and calmed by his words and presence, but the rest of my heart and mind were still in turmoil. I briefly spoke to my parents and then went to my room to lie down. I knew that Rui was correct in that I would just have to give Tsukasa some time to get over his silly jealousy, but I didn't think it was anything that I was going to be able to solve overnight.

~#~

Before I knew it, the day of graduation had approached and I was putting on my Eitoku uniform for the last time. Unlike the F4 the year before, I was determined to actually go to the ceremony, especially since my parents and brother were going to be there. Kazuya, Sakurako, Junpei, Shigeru, and the remaining F3 members were waiting in my living room as I emerged.

"No, you can't go to school looking like that," Sakurako yelled as she and Shigeru rushed forward and pushed me back into my bedroom. "What if Domyouji saw you like that, Makino-sempai?"

"I don't know, Sakurako. Tsukasa loves her so much, he might not care," Shigeru said as she sat me down and began fussing with my hair.

"Blah, blah, blah, Shigeru, it's her last day and I won't have her looking like some poor piece of trash," Sakurako said while she applied makeup to my face.

"Thank you, Sakurako," I mumbled, trying not to move too many facial muscles while she had pencils and other objects so close to my eyes. "It's nice to know that with you as a friend, I will never have to watch out for enemies."

"Now, now, Tsukushi," Shigeru admonished, pushing me towards the mirror as the two of them finished their quick makeover. "You know that's just her way of showing love." I sigh as I realized the truth of the matter and then hugged them both.

"I know. Thank you."

"Has he still not called?" Sakurako took my hand and held it tightly. I shook my head as I tried not to cry and ruin all of her hard work. "Well, he's a fool. Come on before the boys get antsy." I allowed them to again drag me around and surround me with all of their happy chatter. However, watching Sakurako and Kazuya and Akira and Shigeru as couples made me feel lonely and out of place. To say that I was relieved and content when the three others began talking to me normally would have been an understatement.

"So, Yuki-chan is very excited about tonight," Junpei said casually as he and I walked towards the school together.

"Yes, I talked to her last night at work. The dress she bought is very cute."

"Has Domyouji shown up yet, Makino-sempai?"

"I haven't heard from him."

"So, who are you going with tonight?"

"Those two," I said, pointing to both Rui and Soujirou.

"Both?"

"I figure, why not?" Junpei laughed as he headed off in the direction of his classroom. The others began to drift off in their separate directions, but Soujirou and Rui stopped me from disappearing.

"Are you still sure you want to go tonight? I know this really cool club that opened up a few weeks ago that would be more fun," Soujirou said, flashing me his woman-killing smile.

"You mean more fun for you," I added. "Look, Soujirou, you don't have to come tonight if you don't want to. I'm sure there's some girl that's just dying to go out on a 'date' with you."

"Please tell me you've learned to actually dance in the last year, Makino?"

"Of course! Akira has been giving me lessons on the weekends for months now." I stuck my tongue out at him and he laughed.

"Fine, I'll see you this evening then." He waved goodbye and went off to join his best friend and Shigeru. I looked up at Rui to see his face twisted up in thought.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No," he answered distractedly. "I just thought I saw someone." He shook his head and smiled at me briefly. "I'll see you this evening as well." I watched as they all walked into the college building and totally missed the bell sounding for the ceremony. I barely made it in time to my spot before the speeches began. I could feel the eyes of the others on my back as I tried to catch my breath and pay attention to the facility as they started.

~#~

The rest of the day passed by in a blur, and, somehow, my parents managed to make it to the school, dressed to the nines and behaving like regular human beings. All the worrying I had done for the previous two weeks had been for naught. I couldn't believe how great they were. But, still, I had a tiny little spot of bitterness that one person wasn't there, even though I knew it was probably ridiculous to hope that Tsukasa could get away or be awake enough to show up for something as frivolous as my graduation ceremony, especially since I was only going to move up to the attached college of Eitoku.

I went to a nice lunch with Tsubaki, Tama-senpai, my parents and Susumu to a French restaurant that had just opened to rave reviews. While I stayed with some very mundane and easy choices, my parents were determined to try as many new things as they possibly could, and our table ended up looking like it was set for ten people instead of six. When our meal ended, Tsubaki offered to take me shopping, but I declined, saying that I would prefer to go home and rest before the party that night. Gracefully, she accepted my words and wished me a good evening with a warm hug and sisterly kisses.

As soon as I got home, I did take a tiny nap, the excitement of the day catching up to me and wearing me out. My cellphone was on silent, so when I awoke, I realized that I missed a few calls while sleeping. Shigeru was calling to ask me a question about my freedom for the next day, and I texted her back that I would be at her house around noon to help her out. The next was from Sakurako, asking me about the prom, which I ignored. There was a call from Soujirou and Rui, jointly, checking to make sure that they were still needed for that night. The last was from Tsukasa, and he only demanded that I call him back.

He answered on the third ring. "I'm in Tokyo, at the house. Why didn't you return with Tsubaki?"

"I was tired, Tsukasa. I came home to sleep."

"Are you going to prom then?"

"Of course." His voice held nothing but his odd brand of surliness and happiness that I loved so much. There was no trace of the jealousy of two weeks before.

"Ah, well, I'll be coming to get you at seven for dinner," he said uncomfortably.

"Alright, I'll be ready then." I smiled at the thought of seeing him again. "Tsukasa?"

"Hm?"

"I love you." He chuckled warmly.

"I know you do, but you might want to let your other dates know that they are off the hook."

"Ah, yes, they did call while I was asleep too. I'm glad that I called you first."

"Me too." He cleared his throat, which was a habit he hadn't had before and I frowned in contemplation.

"Well, let me go. I have some calls to make and some appointments to keep so that I'll be ready for tonight."

"Of course. I'll see you later then."

"'Bye," I said, hanging up and texting Rui that I was going with Tsukasa after all and asking him to tell Soujirou. A glance at the clock told me that if I didn't hurry, I'd be missing the appointment at the hairdresser's, and considering how hard it had been to get it set up, I didn't plan on missing it. While I ran out the door to go to the train station, something about the way Tsukasa and Tsubaki had been acting lately made the back of my brain tickle apprehensively. The only reason for that would have been one person, Domyouji Kaede… Shit.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: **You Want Me to Be What? 4/?**  
Author: **Makoto Sagara**  
Series:** Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) **  
Pairings:** Tsukasa/Tsukushi, Sakurako/Kazuya, Mimasaka/Shigeru, and others TBD**  
Rating:** T+**  
Warning:** het, language, based off of manga, OOC, SPOILERS

**Disclaimer: ** I don't own any rights to Hana Yori Dango. I wish I owned Rui though. No money is made from this, and taking my wallet would only get you a bad driver's license picture and my library card.

**Author's Notes:** I'd like to apologize for the extreme delay for this chapter. The truth is that I've had it sitting on my computer for a while, but I got STUCK and then sucked into the Harry Potter fandom, so writing this went on the extreme backburner. GOMEN NASAI, MINNA! *prepares items for seppuku*

**Chapter Four**

I made my appointment for the hairdresser and nail technician on time, and was able to even have my makeup done by the artist at the salon, saving me vast amounts of trouble when I got home. In fact, everything else about that night went well. I got home without messing up my hair, nails, or makeup, got dressed with no problems, and my mother helped me adjust things so that I would be able to leave with no trouble. Tsukasa was on time to pick me up, and his face showed openly how good I looked. I couldn't help but smile at his reaction, which was to eye me from head to toe while being polite to my parents and catching up with my brother.

As happy as it made me to see that my family and he were getting along normally without the stiff formality they had previously adopted, I reminded him that we were going to be late for our dinner reservation if we didn't leave soon. He got the hint and escorted me to the car, where we were whisked to a small French restaurant and had a fine meal. Then, we headed to Prom without any problems.

Things there went well. Sakurako and Kazuya were dancing together, and I couldn't help but think that she must have taught him how to do so properly in the past year they'd been dating because his form was a thousand times better than it had been a year prior. It felt odd to be at something like this without our other friends, but it was wonderful to be in Tsukasa's arms again, dressed and made up like a princess and adored by the man who loved me. Not even the few comments made by Asai and her friends that I caught registered in my world that night.

"What do you want to do afterwards?" Tsukasa whispered as he led me around the dance floor.

"You mean you didn't have any plans for after Prom?" I asked in amazement. Usually, between him, Mimasaka and Nishikado, there was always some elaborate plan for the two of us to be alone. The fact that he hadn't planned anything was a little worrying.

"There were offers to go out with Akira and Soujirou, but I declined. I'm not even sure why Akira wants to go out anyway." I watched as he frowned in thought, and it was then that I noticed how tired he'd grown in the year we'd been apart. While I'd been ready for him to become more mature, handsome, refined, and whatever, I hadn't prepared myself for the fact that he didn't sleep much anymore and spent all of his time going from meetings, to classes, to business dinners, to studying sessions, and parties.

"Tsukasa, his wedding is in a week." I smiled as it finally dawned on him why the offer had been made. "They probably wanted to have a stag night. I'm sure Hanazawa Rui was invited as well."

He frowned and sighed. "How stupid. As if I'd want to be anywhere but with you while our time is so short."

While his words warmed my heart, I felt as if I was taking him completely from our friends with my selfishness. "They… Tsukasa…" My face flushed as I tried to keep my thoughts straight. "You don't have to spend all of your time with me. I'd understand if you want to go out with them as well. You've been friends since you were children."

That unavoidable vein popped out on his forehead as he scowled down at me. "Do you not want to be with me? Would you have rather come with Rui then? I can leave if you do."

I dragged him outside into the cool night air and gave him a withering glare. "Are you going to behave like a child about this? I was only worried that I was monopolizing your time while you're here in Japan. I love you and want to spend as much time as I possibly can together, you big dummy, but we _can_ spend time with our friends as well."

His face relaxed into his happy boy smile and I could feel my heart begin to beat erratically. "Don't be stupid," he whispered in my ear as he pulled me against his broad chest. "I'm with who I want to be with right now." Then, he kissed me passionately, and the rest of the night passed with a blur.

I vaguely remember being whisked away to the Domyouji mansion and carried, bridal style, up to his room, but details after that became truly ethereal when the door shut behind us. I woke up the next day in his arms, his inhuman warmth making up for the fact that the door to the balcony was wide open and a chilly March breeze was blowing in through the curtains. I sighed happily and ran my fingers through his curls as they caressed his sleeping face.

"Tsukushi, come back to New York with me," he said huskily as he kissed my forehead and cheeks.

"We've been through this before. I won't. Not now." I tried to make it sound soft, but he was so damn stubborn on the subject.

"Woman, I want to wake up with you in my bed like this all the time," he replied heatedly as he moved his body closer to my own, indicating his growing arousal. "I want to be able to hold you as much as I want in the morning and at night. I'm tired of worrying about if some other man is trying to make moves on you." Each sentence was punctuated by a passionate kiss that left me so breathless that I couldn't reply.

"Tsukasa," I whispered. Part of me wanted to continue talking, but a much larger part wanted to pick up where we left off the night before. It was that part that won out for the rest of the morning.

He returned to New York three days later, spending every moment of his vacation with me. To be honest, I was thrilled to be by his side, in a way that surprised even me. While we did things with our friends, it felt as if time had stopped to allow us that pocket of time together. When he boarded the plane, something told me that I wouldn't see him again for another three years. I cried hard, probably harder than I had since he left the first time, as his plane took off. The others left me to myself, giving me the space they could sense I needed. It was only Hanazawa Rui's calm, cool hand on my shoulder that roused me from my morose thoughts and back to our obligations.

"I don't think I'll use your apartment this vacation," I told him after a few minutes of companionable silence.

"Oh?"

"Tsubaki-nee-san has invited me to LA for a few days, and I think I'll go there before school starts."

"Does this have anything to do with Tsukasa?" His large eyes seemed as if they could look right through me.

"Yes and no," I replied. "I just think that I have to do things that are my own again, things that don't revolve around who I'm dating."

"I can understand that," he said. "However, it's there whenever you need it."

"Thanks, Hanazawa Rui," I told him before running off to chat with Yuuki about our upcoming trip to California.

A few days after Tsukasa left, I watched Shigeru and Akira get married in a lavish, ostentatious affair that made me feel a little sick to my stomach. Actors, directors, politicians, businessmen and society people were everywhere. I could only assume that they all had some sort of affiliation with either the Mimasaka or Ookawahara families. So, in order to not embarrass my friend on her wedding day, I played the part of maid of honor, helping out where needed, keeping her from hyperventilating and her dress from getting dirty, and dancing with Hanazawa Rui while Yuuki and Junpei-kun moved around us, as graceful as flatfooted geese and as happy as loons.

And as soon as that excitement died down, the next day Yuuki and I were on a plane with Tsubaki on our way to Los Angeles. We did things like shop on Rodeo Drive, where Tsubaki bought us both clothes that neither of us could think of places to wear, took us to a luxurious spa, and fed us things that tasted way better than in Japan. It was strange to think that I was in the same country as my boyfriend, but that we wouldn't be able to see each other. In fact, it was just strange to think that I was so close and yet so far from Tsukasa.

I knew, truthfully, that I could extend this little vacation and spend some time in New York, but that meant spending time with his awful mother, and I wasn't ready to do that just yet. I would need many more months before I was strong enough to be anywhere near that woman again. I just couldn't do it, and I wasn't really willing to fight with Tsukasa about it. Not then anyway.

As soon as our vacation was over, I was back in school, surrounded by all of my friends day in and out, trying to make friends with some of the other college students at Eitoku, but not really too hard, as they weren't that different from the high school students I knew and loathed. I took classes with an interest in actually learning more about the business world that I had only barely peeked into with my relationship with Domyouji Tsukasa. However, I did take my friends' advice and studied English and took some private music lessons. I even learned tea ceremony, correctly this time, from Soujirou.

A girl can never know too much, right?

My life was so uncomplicated that I began to wonder what alternate universe I'd stepped into. I should have known better than to take it for granted.

Two weeks before I started my senior year of college, a mere thirty-five credit hours from getting a degree in business management, Hell descended upon my household. In the form of Domyouji Kaede, the Iron Lady of the Domyouji Empire.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: **You Want Me to Be What? 5/?**  
Author: **Makoto Sagara**  
Series:** Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) **  
Pairings:** Tsukasa/Tsukushi, Sakurako/Kazuya, Mimasaka/Shigeru, and others TBD**  
Rating:** T+**  
Warning:** het, language, based off of manga, OOC, SPOILERS

**Disclaimer: ** I don't own any rights to Hana Yori Dango. I wish I owned Rui though. No money is made from this, and taking my wallet would only get you a bad driver's license picture and my library card.

**Author's Notes:** And now we move into the real plot! *sigh* It's about time, ne?

**Chapter Five**

It was the first day of my last year of college. I had gotten dressed that morning carefully in a soft pink blouse with a scoop neck and a tiny bow near the left shoulder, a black pencil skirt that was a few inches above my knees, and a pair of black pumps with a reasonable heel. I brushed my hair until it shone, smiling as I realized that after I stopped letting Hanazawa Rui cutting it, it was cuter as it brushed my shoulders. I had on light makeup – some blush, a dash of eye shadow and mascara. I gave myself a little smile before applying some lip gloss. All in all, I looked like a happy young woman of the middle class that was about to head out to face the world.

When I left my room, I saw my brother, Sumusu, grabbing his jacket off the hook by the door. "Heading to work now?" I asked.

"Yeah, all of my classes are in the afternoon, so my boss asked me to come in and help him open up today," he answered, smiling.

Sumusu, after graduating from the same public high school that my best friend had attended, got accepted into Tokyo University and a job at a clothing store not far from the campus. He liked his law classes and his job. He was happy. I was so proud of my little brother. He'd grown up into such a handsome and kind young man. Looking at him, I felt like an old woman watching her son.

"What's the matter, Sis?"

I shook my head to get rid of my silly thoughts. "Nothing's wrong, silly brother. I was just wondering when you planned on telling Mom and Dad about that girl you're seeing in your program?"

He groaned. "Hopefully never. After what they did to you in high school, I'm a little scared of how they'd receive a normal girl from a middle class family. I'm sure they're expecting me to become some famous lawyer and marry a super model or an actress." He shuddered, and I felt sorry for him.

Sure, our parents had been crazy over Tsukasa and Hanazawa Rui and even that jerk, Amon, when I was attending Eitoku Gakuen, but since Papa got his new job at Mimasaka Trading Company, he'd mellowed. Even Mama had given up her crazy schemes to own houses all over the world and to live like a lady of means. They'd settled down into our comfortable life and didn't even pressure me about my relationship, as it was, with Tsukasa. Although, they _were_ kind of strict over whom my brother dated. Mama had said something about not wanting to have anyone in the family that would embarrass the Domyoujis.

"Don't worry about it, Sumusu," I told him as I scrounged around for some orange juice for breakfast. "Bring her over for dinner tomorrow. I'll make beef hot pot and she can meet our kooky parents."

"Hey, Sis, have you heard from Tsukasa-nii-san lately?"

"Hm, yes, I spoke to him last night. Why?" I gave a shout as I found the pitcher and poured myself a glass.

"You might want to check this morning's paper then."

"Hm?" I looked at my brother as I took a drink. "Anything interesting in it?"

"I guess so, if you count the fact that the whole Domyouji family has returned to Japan for the first time in years as interesting news."

I couldn't help it. I spit the drink of orange juice out, staining my new blouse and the counters with it. "What?" I squeaked. Without letting him answer, I snatched the newspaper out of his hands and stared, dumbstruck, at the picture the handsome Domyouji family made. And all the members were there - Tsukasa, Tsubaki-nee-san, her husband, and their parents. "Oh, oh, oh," I whispered over and over.

"Sis, are you alright?" Sumusu asked, his voice very close to my ear, making me jump. "You don't look so well. Do you have a stomach ache?"

"I… I need to call Hanazawa Rui…" I patted my pockets down, searching for my cellphone, but a loud knock on the door startled me and I dropped it on the floor.

"I'll get the door. You sit down." My brother eyed me carefully as he walked to the door to our apartment. I absently wondered where our mother was. It wasn't like her to be gone so early in the day, but she had started visiting the gym in the building lately, I belatedly remembered. Maybe she was there… "Oh, Tsukasa-nii-san, you're just in time! Tsukushi's in the kitchen, but she looks a little ill."

"Tsukushi?" Tsukasa's familiar and beloved voice in the flesh for the first time in a long while brought tears to my eyes, and I covered my mouth to stifle a sob that was threatening to escape.

"Tsukasa… Oh, my god, it's true," I whispered. That was the last thing I remembered before my eyes rolled back into my head and I decided to take an impromptu nap.

"You stupid little brother, what in the world did you do to Tsukushi-chan?"

That was the first thing I heard when I woke up, but I was afraid to open my eyes and see Tsubaki-nee-san there. I was afraid that if I was awake, my whole life was going to go from easy-going and comfortable to Hell on Earth.

"I didn't do anything, you worthless bimbo! I walked through the door and she was crying! When I approached her, she whispered something I didn't hear and fainted like some dumb girl!"

"Didn't you tell her that we were coming into town last night when you talked to her?"

"No, I wanted to surprise her!"

"Dammit, Tsukasa, you don't just surprise someone you love with _our_ parents! You warn them first! No wonder Tsukushi-chan fainted!"

"You know, if I wasn't already awake, you two would have made sleeping impossible," I said, trying to sit up as I opened my eyes. I winced as the light registered and wished both of the Domyouji siblings in my bedroom dead. At least for a little while.

"Oh, Tsukushi," Tsubaki yelled happily as she engulfed me in a Chanel-scented embrace. "I'm so glad you're alright. I'm sorry my brother is an idiot and I hope you don't hold that against him."

"I knew Tsukasa was an idiot long before now, Tsubaki-nee-san," I responded, watching as she smiled and the object of our conversation scowled, his right eye twitching in anger. "But that doesn't explain how you got here in my room."

"Well, after Tsukasa _surprised_ you and you fainted, the moron called me frantic." She sighed and rolled her expressive brown eyes before giving her brother an indulgent smile. Although, that reminded me of something…

"Where's Sumusu?" I asked.

"Oh, he said he had to leave or he'd be late for work," Tsukasa answered as he sat down next to me on the bed. "What it is about your family and working when you have things perfectly alright, I'll never understand."

"Well, as I've tried to get through your thick head for years now, not everyone was born with a platinum spoon in their mouth," I snapped, feeling my anger rise rapidly. I looked at my watch and groaned. "I've missed my economics class, and on the first day too. The professor is going to cut me from the roster and it's the last two credit hours I needed for my degree." I wanted to cry.

"I'll talk to him," Tsukasa said arrogantly.

"Not everything can be fixed with money, Tsukasa," I responded, leaning back against the super plush pillows that I'd come to love in the last few years. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"Surely you remember what my brother promised you before he left to New York," Tsubaki said, frowning in confusion.

"I remember a lot of things he's said to me over the years, Tsubaki, but what don't I remember specifically?"

"It's been four years, Tsukushi," Tsukasa said, his voice holding a hint of uncertainty.

"Since you left for America? Yes, I remember that, Tsukasa. What else…" I snapped my mouth shut as I remembered that night at his prom all those years ago. Oh, god, he was here to marry me. "Really? Now? I haven't even finished college yet!"

"That's unimportant," he shot back, his dark eyes boring into my skull it felt like. "You can finish at any time!" I decided to ignore his stupid comment and turned to his sister.

"That's why both of your parents are here, isn't it?" She nodded sadly. "And Higo-nii-san too?" She nodded again and I felt the desire to be sick to my stomach. I swallowed down the fear and sat up straight. "Alright, what do I do first?"

They both blinked owlishly at me, as if they couldn't understand what I was saying. "Well, Mother and Father will definitely want to have dinner with your parents and brother as the first step. After that, I think Mother will want to talk to you," Tsubaki answered, standing up and straightening her beautiful couture dress, a Versace if I wasn't mistaken.

"How soon?" How soon before my life changes even more than it did when I was just a girl wishing for the end of high school? How soon before my family embarrasses me even more than they did when Tsukasa and I began dating? How long did I have to steel myself to meet their mother again?

"Tomorrow, at the earliest," Tsukasa answered, taking a cue from his sister and standing as well. He held out one of his huge, warm hands for me to take and I did so. I let out a little squeak of shock as he pulled me from my bed and directly into the circle of his arms. "I've missed you," he whispered huskily into my ear, making my heart pound.

"I missed you too, Tsukasa, but you could have warned me a little," I whispered back before burying my head in chest, luxuriating in the comfort he gave me. "At least then I wouldn't have told Sumusu to invite his girlfriend to dinner to meet our parents."

"Oh, little Sumusu has a girlfriend, does he? What's she like?"

"I don't know that, do I? I haven't met her yet, because he doesn't want our parents to meet her and disapprove. They've been stupidly strict about who he dates the last few years."

"Why?" he asked, forcing me to look up at him to make sure he wasn't joking with me. But, no, he was seriously stumped. I looked over at Tsubaki and saw that she was torn between being sappily happy about Tsukasa and me together and being annoyed with her brother's stupidity. "Sumusu's not a bad kid, and he wouldn't choose a bad girl."

"That's not a problem, but I'm glad that you can recognize that about my brother, Tsukasa," I muttered before sighing heavily. "They're worried that any girl that he picks isn't going to be good enough for _your_ family."

He scrunched up his face in disgust, but I could feel his chest puff out in self-importance. "That's just stupid," he said after a few long seconds of quiet. "They should be more worried about your brother's happiness."

I couldn't help it. I began laughing, nearly hysterical laughter, until tears were streaming down my face and ruining my makeup. However, I wasn't the only one. I could hear Tsubaki laughing at her brother's words as well. "What?" he roared when we hadn't calmed down after two minutes. "What is so damn funny?"

"Oh, Tsukasa, my dear, stupid, sweet little brother," Tsubaki said around giggles that still escaped her from time to time. "While it speaks volumes that you would speak up for Tsukushi's brother's happiness, do you really think that his choice of girlfriend or eventual bride wouldn't reflect on the Domyouji name if you marry Tsukushi?"

The way he stiffened in my arms told me that he really hadn't, and I loved him more for that gesture towards my level-headed and sensible brother than if he'd lied or done something ridiculously pompous. I could also tell that he was tired of the two of us poking fun at him, and I knew that if I didn't diffuse the situation soon, he was going to get very angry. I really didn't want the first time we'd spent together after so long apart to be filled with a screaming match. However, before I could make an attempt to smooth his ruffled feathers, my stomach growled, loudly.

"Sorry," I said, blushing furiously and trying to hide my face against his chest. "I haven't eaten since dinner yesterday."

"Well, let's go get something to eat," Tsubaki suggested. I let Tsukasa lead me out of my room and out of the apartment, but only after he grabbed my purse and handed it to me so I could lock up. I tried to bury my anxiety about what the next few days were going to hold for me and just enjoy my time with the two of them, but it was very difficult.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: **You Want Me to Be What? 6/?**  
Author: **Makoto Sagara**  
Series:** Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) **  
Pairings:** Tsukasa/Tsukushi, Sakurako/?, Mimasaka/Shigeru, and others TBD**  
Rating:** T+**  
Warning:** het, language, based off of manga, OOC, SPOILERS

**Disclaimer: ** I don't own any rights to Hana Yori Dango. I wish I owned Rui though. No money is made from this, and taking my wallet would only get you a bad driver's license picture and my library card.

**Author's Notes:** And now poor Tsukushi has to talk to her parents about the Domyoujis returning to Japan and break the bad news to her brother.

**Chapter Six**

After a rather quiet breakfast, Tsukasa escorted me home, but not before Tsubaki-nee-san made me promise to have dinner at the Domyouji mansion. No sooner had we walked through the door than my mother began waving the newspaper in my face.

"What is the meaning to this, Tsukushi? Why has his whole family returned? What does this mean? Oh, what are we going to do?"

"Mama, relax," I said, taking the paper out of her hands and putting it on the end table by the door. "Tsukasa failed to tell me anything about their return, so I didn't know." It was then that my mother's face went from angry shrew to self-deprecating hostess.

"Oh, Domyouji-san, I didn't know that you'd escorted Tsukushi home from university," she said sweetly, making me roll my eyes at her antics. Seriously, so, she and Papa had stopped being so… extreme in their favor of Tsukasa and his family, but that didn't mean they didn't get these stupid looks on their faces whenever he walked through the front door with me.

"Makino-san," he said. "I'm sorry, but my sister and I kidnapped Tsukushi this morning as a surprise. I hope that doesn't cause any inconveniences for you."

"Oh, no, none at all," she all but purred. "Please, come inside. What would you like to drink? I think we have some sake, or there's some cola if you'd like that."

"No, no, that's fine," Tsukasa answered, placing his large hand on the small of my back and guiding me through the room to the couches. I felt myself relax as the warmth radiated from him and into my body, amazed at how that simple gesture used to annoy me so much. "We've just come from breakfast, so I don't need anything."

"Of course," Mama said as she sat on the couch opposite the two of us. "Oh, I'm sure that Tsukushi didn't mention this. She's such a modest girl at times. But her piano teacher is going to have her give a recital sometime soon. It seems that she's progressed so well in the last few years that he wants to show off her talent."

"Really, Mama," I said, feeling a blush creep across my face.

"No, she didn't mention that," Tsukasa said with a fond smile for me. "When is it, Tsukushi?"

"Um, next week, I believe," I answered, trying to remember the date that Shio-sensei had told me. "The fourth of May, yes, that's it. I have four tickets, but I can ask Sensei about getting some more. I think Hanazawa Rui and Soujirou were coming."

"Well, when did you get in, Domyouji-san? I can't remember the last time we all saw you," Mama said, practically gushing in her excitement.

"We got in last night," he answered. "But it was so late that we went directly home and didn't do anything until this morning. My sister brought along her husband, who's never been to Japan before, so we're looking forward to showing him around."

"But what about school, Tsukasa?" I asked. "Weren't you supposed to graduate in June?"

"I finished up all of my classes early, and the teachers agreed to let me take the exams earlier this month so that I could return home," he answered without a hint of his former boasting arrogance that made me dislike him so thoroughly. "Father's doctors advised that he take a vacation, so Mother decided that we'd return home for a bit. She also wants to meet your family formally."

I felt the room spin and my stomach lurched as I caught the look of pure joy on my mother's face. I _knew_ that no good could come from this meeting. And I knew that my brother's hopes of being able to see his girlfriend any longer had just been dashed.

"What are you talking about?" Sumusu growled after I'd told him everything that had happened that morning. "Michiko is a nice girl from a decent family."

"And do you think Mama and Papa would let you continue to see her after they realize that her family's not rich?" I asked, feeling as if I was betraying my brother as I did so. "You know what they're like, Sumusu. You even said that you didn't want to introduce her to them because of that. Have you changed your mind?"

My brother got up and prowled the area in front of the window in my room, seemingly lost in thought. "I hadn't planned on introducing them so soon, but I had hoped that eventually, if we got serious, that I could."

I could see how upset this whole thing made him and I really felt sorry for him. It made me want to do something for him. "What if you and Michiko-chan met Tsukasa and me for lunch tomorrow? If she met us, she'd at least be meeting the more reasonable members of the two families… I could have Shigeru join us as well. She was complaining about how bored she's been lately with only keeping house now that she's graduated. Those two are probably the only ones that I can guarantee will behave with a small warning."

"Thanks, sis," he said with a small, sad smile. "I appreciate your help. I know it's not your fault, but sometimes it's easier to blame you."

"Don't I know it," I grumped. Sumusu surprised me by sitting on the bed next to me and wrapping me in a tight hug, something he hadn't done since he'd reached middle school. "Sumusu, don't worry about our parents. I'm sure that between the two of us, we can come up with something. And if that doesn't work, Tsukasa can just 'kidnap' you both and take you to the States."

He smiled happily this time. "I'd say you're kidding, but this _is_ Tsukasa-san we're talking about."

"Now that that's over, how about we talk to our parents about their behaviour tomorrow night?" I was only half-joking.

"Just wait until Dad realizes that he's not going to be able to choose his own clothes."

"Yeah, well, Mama's going to be happy when I tell her she has to buy a brand new dress."

"I'd like to know where our frugal, militant mother went, and when she was replaced by this housewife who loves to shop."

"Your guess is as good as mine, brother dearest, but we're not confronting our parents just staying in here."

"I know," he said, standing up and holding out a hand to help me as well. "Well, let's get this over with."

Shigeru was only _too_ happy to agree to lunch with Tsukasa, Sumusu, Michiko, and me. Not that I could really blame her. From what I understood, Akira was busy with his position as a junior at his father's trading company. There was talk about him actually being made a member of the board. It seems his nervous A-type personality was being put to good use. So, the fact that she showed up at my house right before I was supposed to head to my first class of the day wasn't that big of a surprise.

"TSUKUSHI!" she yelled before jumping on me and enveloping me in a perfume-laden hug. I think she's been taking lessons from Tsubaki-nee-san on her form. Lately, I've been landing less on my bottom when she does that. "Oh, you're all dressed already," she pouted. "Were you going out?"

"I have a morning class," I said carefully, watching my friend for any more mood changes. "You can come and observe. It's an English class. I'm sure we could always use more practice."

She gave me a heart-wrenching smile. "You're right. We could." She waited patiently as I put on my jacket and shoes. "So, how is Tsukasa? Akira and I haven't had the chance to meet with him since his family came home."

"Oh, well, he's fine." I gave her a warm smile. "You do know that he's coming to lunch with us, right?"

"Of course he is. He can't let you out of his sight now that he's back, am I right?"

"It's something like that. He and Tsubaki-nee-san showed up yesterday morning just after I'd seen the paper's headlines. They abducted me and I managed to miss my first day of classes." I looked around and noticed that we'd already made it outside and a black town car seemed to be waiting for us. "Yours?"

"Yeah, Akira doesn't really trust me to drive after that incident in Osaka…"

"You nearly gave us all a heart attack when you almost hit that poor old lady!"

"It was one time! And if Soujirou hadn't been trying to hit on a girl at the stop light, I wouldn't have been distracted!"

I couldn't help but to laugh at the memory. "He's never going to change, is he?"

"I don't think so." She got a thoughtful look on his face. "He's actually gotten worse since Yuuki and Jun announced their engagement."

"Speaking of engagements," I said carefully. "Have you heard anything from Sakurako and her new beau? They've been dating for two years now."

"No, but I have to admit that I'm still shocked that Kazuya dumped her only after a year."

"Even Kazuya got tired of playing her lapdog. She was really mean to him, you know."

"At least he waited until after my wedding to do it," she joked half-heartedly. "Is he seeing anyone now?"

"No, but he told me that he's thinking of going to study in the US or England. He hasn't decided yet, but his parents are really pushing him to do it."

"So, tell me why we're taking your brother out to lunch again?"

"He's got a girlfriend that he's been seeing for a few months now. She's really nice, but he hasn't introduced her to our parents – or even me truthfully – because he doesn't want them to reject her."

"Why would they do that?" Shigeru asked, pushing her longish brown hair behind her ears. "They aren't trying to get him a perfect wife, are they?"

"Nothing as bad as that," I said, adding the 'yet' to myself. "They've just been really hard on him about who he dates. He's afraid that because Michiko doesn't come from a fabulously rich or famous family that they'll reject her outright."

"So, we're going to meet her and test the waters?"

"Something like that," I answered. "I trust my brother's sense. He's a good guy and he's tried his hardest to meet my mother's strict standards, but this is the first girl that he's been fairly serious about, and I'd like for him to have a choice as to whether he can still see her or not."

Shigeru squealed happily, hugging me tightly again. "I love you, Tsukushi! Of course I'll help out Sumusu-kun! Oh, I can't wait to meet her now! Is she in the same law program as he is?"

"Yeah, she's a second year just like him. I think that's how they met." I gave her a sad smile. "Thanks for this, and I'm glad that you came over early. I missed you."


End file.
